


Rebels and Republicans

by westwingfanfictioncentral_archivist



Category: The West Wing
Genre: Character Study, Episode: s03e10 H. Con - 172
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2006-02-05
Updated: 2006-02-05
Packaged: 2019-05-30 09:29:20
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,128
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15093932
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/westwingfanfictioncentral_archivist/pseuds/westwingfanfictioncentral_archivist
Summary: A look into the mind of Cliff Calley.





	Rebels and Republicans

**Author's Note:**

> A copy of this work was once archived at National Library, a part of the [ West Wing Fanfiction Central](https://fanlore.org/wiki/West_Wing_Fanfiction_Central), a West Wing fanfiction archive. More information about the Open Doors approved archive move can be found in the [announcement post](http://archiveofourown.org/admin_posts/8325).

Title: Rebels and Republicans  
Author: Kat  
Rating: PG  
Feedback: Yes please  
Archive: If you'd like, just let me know  
Spoilers: Uhhh... Noel, War Crimes, Bartlet for America, H.Con-17  
Category: Single character... sort of a post-ep to H.Con-17, but not   
really  
Summary: A look into the mind of Cliff Calley  
Notes: Story's mine, characters are Aaron Sorkin's... Hope I did Cliff   
some justice here... This one's for the screwball down the hall. Also,  
much thanks to Mel for helping me fill in the gaps of my WW knowledge! 

["Let us have faith that right makes might, and in that faith, let   
us, to the end, dare to do our duty as we understand it." (Abraham   
Lincoln)] 

Most guys, when they're teenagers, don't like following all the rules.   
They want to be James Dean or Bob Dylan- fight the mainstream, defy   
authority. 

Not me. 

I did everything that I was supposed to do. Had a 4.0 at Choate, played  
point guard on the varsity basketball team, sang in the choir. Hell, I   
even cleaned my room and washed my car without being told to. 

Okay, there were a couple times I tried to be a rebel. Like in ninth   
grade when I tried smoking cigarettes, or two years later when I   
skipped physics to take Nina Comachi for a ride in my corvette. 

Mostly, though, I did all I could to be the perfect son. I was trying   
to get my father's attention. After I accomplished something that I   
thought he'd be proud of, I would stay up until he came home from work-  
no matter how late that was- just to hear his brief, mumbled   
congratulations. 

The day I received my acceptance letter from Brown, his alma mater, he   
smiled and shook my hand... and I'd never been happier. 

Of course, once I was at the university, I became bitter. I followed   
the example of my peers and got angry that I'd spent my childhood   
trying to please my father rather than pursuing my own dream. But after  
a semester of "rebellious" frat parties and cheap thrills, the novelty   
of being deviant wore off, and I was left wondering what the hell I was  
doing. 

A girl I dated sophomore year introduced me to politics. Her parents   
were big players in the Republican Party, and she took me to attend a   
few functions. Unfortunately for her, the political arena captivated me  
more than she did. We broke up, and I changed my major from business   
law to constitutional. 

I graduated magna cum laude from Brown and went on to Harvard Law. I   
spent the first year in high regard for my political intelligence and   
debating prowess. And then I met Ainsley Hayes. She waltzed into my   
life on those long legs of hers and proceeded to destroy my reputation  
for brilliance. Once I stopped fuming long enough to get to know her,   
though, I found I didn't mind the instances when she was my better. She  
was amazing. 

We spent hours talking about politics. We were harsh critics of the   
Democratic Party, and celebrants every Republican success, and we'd   
excitedly tell each other what we intended to do to help ensure the   
future glory of the G.O.P. I spent a lot of nights sleeping on the   
couch in her apartment because I'd be too tired to drive home after our  
discussions. I think we kissed a few times, but we always reverted to   
friendship. 

It wasn't until I came to D.C. that I ever fell in love with anyone,   
but I was crazy about Lizzie from the moment I met her. We were at a   
dinner party, and she was so smart and funny... 

We were together for a long time before she had enough of my long hours   
at the office and inability to "leave work at work." She said I'd be   
too busy to care if she left, but I was crushed. I walked around like a  
zombie for days. 

My colleagues took me out and got me extremely drunk in an attempt to   
snap me out of it. I appreciated the thought, but the resulting   
hangover only made me more miserable. But after a while- during which   
my friends and coworkers were extremely patient- I got back to normal.   
Things started going my way again. There were rumors I was going to be   
assigned to something big, and Ainsley was offering to help me regain   
my social life. 

She set me up to meet Donna barely an hour after I was told of my   
transfer to Oversight. So, at that point, I thought I was having the   
perfect day. I was going be ensuring justice for America, and I was   
about to meet a beautiful woman. 

And she is beautiful. Intoxicatingly so. I couldn't believe my eyes   
when I saw her. I was still nervous, because of Lizzie, but I risked   
it. And it was wonderful, at first, getting to know her. Then when she   
started talking about Josh and boxes... it was like getting kicked in   
the stomach. 

I should have let her hate me for walking away like I did, but instead   
I went to apologize, and sent my life spiraling in directions I never   
intended it to go. 

I couldn't keep my breakfast down the day Donna was deposed, and it was   
all I could do to stay steady as we questioned her. And when she   
lied... there was another kick in the stomach. And I let myself get   
angry this time. 

I threatened her with perjury and jail. I scared the hell out of her.   
And, at the time, it felt great, though I hate myself for it now. 

I was stunned at first when Josh Lyman called me that night. I couldn't  
figure out why he'd risk his career to save Donna until I realized   
she'd lied for his sake. She couldn't allow the committee to ruin him   
with what her diary says regarding his mental health. 

For what little it was worth, I didn't allow it either. 

And I didn't allow Congressman Gibson to wreck Leo McGarry. Donna was   
right when she guessed that I'd stopped the hearings. I didn't become a   
lawyer to stand silently while good people are brought down. 

This thing is about the President, not his staff. 

I just got the call telling me that our offer of censorship will be   
accepted. I'd like to tell Donna I'm glad for all of them, that this is  
over, but she's still Josh Lyman's assistant and I'm still a Republican  
on Oversight... 

But I think I'll do it anyway. 

Lately, I've become quite a rebel. 

After I call Donna, I ought to call my dad. 

I think he'd be proud of me. 

  


End file.
